Four encounters in the SLC Major Club Limited Over Tournament worked off today at several venues across the island. Navy SC, Ragama CC, Army CC registered victories in their respective encounters, while the game between NCC and Negombo CC ended in a tie.
Navy SC defeated Kandy Customs SC by 24 runs in their Group A encounter worked off today at Navy Grounds in Welisara.
After winning the toss, Navy SC opted to bat first, but managed to post a modest total of 197 at the end of allotted 50 overs. Thushara Samarakoon stamped his authority with the bat scoring 50 runs off 83 balls for the sailors. The off-spinner Ravindra Karunaratne bowled a clever spell for Kandy Customs, registering impressive figures of 4 for 30 in his 9-over spell.
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Kandy Customs could post only 173 runs on the board as the 28-year old off spinner Pasindu Madushan’s scintillating bowling display slipped them to a 24-run defeat. Chanaka Wijesinghe played a useful knock with the bat, scoring 58 runs off 91 balls, but it was not enough to propel the Kandy boys to victory.
The Group A encounter between NCC and Negombo CC witnessed a thrilling finish as the match ended in a tie at Marians Cricket Grounds in Katunayake.
After been put into bat first, a strong NCC batting lineup accumulated only 195 runs on the board with the right-hand batter Hasith Boyagoda top-scoring with 43 runs. The 22-year old left arm spinner Pasindu Hettige made his presence felt with the ball, snaring a 5-wicket haul for Negombo CC.
The lads from Negombo got off to a great start with the bat in their pursuit of target, putting 64 runs for the opening wicket, but they lost their way in the middle as many batsmen could not convert their starts into a significant score.
As a result, the match was ended in a tie and the points were shared between the two sides. Yugeesha Dilshan and Chathuranga De Silva kept the lid on the coring rate on the opposition, picking up 3 wickets each.
The Group B encounter between Saracens SC and Ragama CC also ended in a thrilling finish as the latter registered a 1-wicket win in a close fought game at Surrey Village Grounds in Maggona.
The rain-hit encounter was reduced to a 42-over affair where Saracens won the toss and chose to bat first. They mustered 162 runs in the allotted 42 overs, with Promod Maduwantha being the cornerstone of their batting unit scoring 46 runs. The right arm fast medium bowlers Janith Liyanage (3/27) and Ishan Jayaratne (2/27) impressed with the ball sharing 5 wickets among them.
Chasing 163 to win, Ragama CC got off to a decent start with the bat but Saracens bowlers managed to strike at crucial junctures to keep their team in the course. However, a 45-run stand between Janith Liyanage (27) and Supeshala Jayathilaka (22) for the fifth wicket ensured Ragama CC crossed the mark at the end though they lost quick wickets afterwards.
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Army CC registered a comprehensive 7-wicket win over Lankan CC in their Group A encounter worked off today at SLAOC International Cricket Stadium in Dombagoda.
Due to the prevailing weather conditions, the match was reduced to a 45-over contest in which Lankan CC were asked to bat first on a tricky wicket. The experienced bowling lineup led by Seekkuge Prasanna (3/22) and Asela Gunarathne (2/24) managed to restrict the opposition for a well below par score of 128 runs.
Army CC hunted down the target with ease in the 25th over, losing only 3 wickets. The 25-year-old left-hand batter Himasha Liyanage was the mainstay of soldiers’ run chase as he stroked an unbeaten 55 runs off 62 balls with 5 fours and a six.
Brief Scores
Navy Sports Club 197 (50) Thushara Samarakoon 50, Sahan Kosala 37, Anuk Fernando 21, Aravinda Akurugoda 20, Ravindra Karunaratne 4/30, Sampath Perera 2/36, Umega Chaturanga 2/43
Kandy Customs Sports Club 173 (48.3) Chanaka Wijesinghe 58, Hasitha Nirmal 26, Ravindra Karunaratne 21, Pasindu Madushan 4/28
Result – Navy SC won by 24 runs
Nondescripts Cricket Club 195 (43.1) Hasitha Boyagoda 43, Kaveen Bandara 37, Ahan Wickramasinghe 28, Chaturanga De Silva 22, Yugeesha Dishan 20, Pasindu Ushettige 5/39, Dilshan Munaweera 3/37
Negombo Cricket Club 195 (42.3) Mohammad Mohsin 33, Dilshan Munaweera 28, Angelo Jayasinghe 28, Pasindu Lakshanka 25, Upul Indrasiri 21, Yugeesha Dilshan 3/32, Chathuranga De Silva 3/41, Kavinda Ishwara 2/24, Sachindu Colombage 2/40
Result – Match Tied
Saracens Sports Club 162 (42) Promod Maduwantha 46, Navindu Vithanage 32, Janith Liyanage 3/27, Ishan Jayaratne 2/27, Kalhara Senarathne 2/42
Ragama Cricket Club 163/9 (42) Saminda Fernando 27, Janith Liyanage 27, Ishan Jayaratne 24, Dineth Thimodya 22, Supeshala Jayathilake 22, Promod Maduwantha 2/18, Akash Senaratne 2/26, Sandun Mendis 2/30
Result – Ragama CC won by 1 wicket
Lankan Cricket Club 128 (44.5) Lahiru Dilshan 32, Geeth Kumara 29, Damitha Silva 27, Seekkuge Prasanna 3/22, Asela Gunaratne 2/24, Gayan Bandara 2/31
Army Cricket Club 130/3 (24.4) Himasha Liyanage 55*, Ashan Randika 34, Kasun Madushanka 2/30
Result – Army CC won by 7 wickets
